Radical plans to reform the healthcare system will see the private sector play a greater role in the NHS than ever before, a survey of GP consortia suggests.

Under the reforms, GPs will take control of commissioning services for patients. Strategic health authorities and primary care trusts (PCTs), which currently commission services, will be abolished.

The survey of advanced "pathfinders", the groups of GPs piloting the new commissioning arrangements, shows six consortia only plan to use NHS managers across the seven areas of support about which they were questioned.

But three out of 25 are planning to outsource at least six out of seven areas of support to the private and voluntary sectors, the poll by Pulse magazine found.

Half said they plan to enlist external support for human resources, 29% for accounting, 29% for data analysis and 29% for back-office support.

Overall, 11 are already talking to private or voluntary sector organisations about commissioning support, and seven have signed deals, the survey found.

Just over half of pathfinders said they are on course to break even under current commissioning systems, while a quarter are at risk of falling into deficit without some structural change and 20% said they will fall into severe deficit without major structural change.

Over 90% have already issued guidance to member practices on areas such as efficiency savings.

A Department of Health spokesman said: "GP consortia should be able to get the best support they need to improve services for patients, whether it is from the public, voluntary or independent sector.

"Previously, PCTs spent over £300 million in one year alone on external consultants. That was in addition to the vast increase in the number of managers. We are cutting back on management costs by 45%, ensuring that more money is spent on patient care and that functions are not duplicated by external organisations. Every penny saved from efficiencies will be ploughed back into patient care. GPs cannot use funds for commissioning to line their own pockets."